Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is targeting enterprises with the latest version of its mobile operating system dubbed as Android L integrated with features from Samsung Knox.
In his keynote address at the Google I/O conference, Android Chief Sundar Pichai announced that search engine giant will offer enterprise-focused security and management features to all devices powered by its mobile operating system.
According to Pichai, the next version of Android OS will also provide features from Samsung Knox, the end-to-end mobile platform designed to offer advance data and privacy protection for enterprise users.
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (KRX:005935) introduced Samsung Knox as part of its SAFE (Samsung Approved for Enterprise) solutions for smartphones and tablets last year. Samsung Knox is now available on Samsung Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note Series, Galaxy Tab Series, Galaxy S4 Series, Galaxy S3, Galaxy Round, Galaxy Note 3 Series, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Mega 6.3, Galaxy Grand 2 and Galaxy Express 2.
Pichai said Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) will release Android L in the fall. The search engine giant also wants to make the Knox security features available to the previous version of the Android OS. Pichai called the enterprise security capabilities as “Android for Work.”
According to him, Android devices will have the ability to separate a users’ personal data from company data. Android L allows IT staff to easily monitor work-related apps and data used by employees on their devices.
“No one wants to carry two phones. With L, there will be a whole set of APIs (application programming interfaces) to unify both experiences for a user, one for personal and another for corporate. That’s full enterprise security.”
Pichai added, “We really want to thank Samsung for [carrying over] Knox to all of Android.There will be one consistent experience.”
Commenting on Pichai’s announcement, Jack Gold, an analyst at J. Gold Associates said,”This is the first time that Google seems to be catering directly to enterprise concerns for Android, which has the lowest level of security among the major platforms.” He suggested that Divide, an enterprise software company focused on BYOD services acquired by Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOG) was the primary reason behind the dual persona of the next generation Android L.
